Physicians and Surgeons

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not provide specific details on the exact nature of the data to be collected or how it will be used.

Tennessee Act for Provisional Foreign-Trained Physician Licenses

This bill allows international medical graduates to obtain a provisional license in Tennessee and work under supervision before getting full unrestricted licenses.

What This Bill Does

• Requires the board of medical examiners to issue two-year provisional foreign training licenses, which can be extended for an additional year, to qualified internationally trained physicians who meet certain criteria.
• Specifies that applicants must complete required examinations, have good standing in their home country's licensing body within five years, and pay a non-refundable fee of $300.
• Limits where these doctors can work during the provisional period to specific types of healthcare facilities with onsite supervising physicians.
• Encourages the board to collect data on this new license pathway to evaluate its effectiveness.
• Requires full unrestricted licenses after two years of satisfactory practice under supervision.

Who It Names or Affects

• International medical graduates applying for provisional licenses in Tennessee
• Healthcare facilities that can employ these doctors during their provisional period

Terms To Know

Provisional foreign training license

A temporary work permit given to international medical graduates who meet certain criteria, allowing them to practice under supervision.

Supervising physician

An experienced doctor who oversees and assesses the skills of a provisional foreign-trained physician during their training period.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how many additional types of employers can be defined beyond those listed.
• It is unclear what specific data will be collected to evaluate the effectiveness of this new license pathway.
• The exact criteria for full unrestricted licenses after two years are not detailed in the summary.

Official Summary Text

Present law authorizes the board of medical examiners ("board") to issue a foreign training license of limited duration to an international medical school graduate who has successfully completed the required examinations upon finding sufficient evidence
that the international medical school graduate demonstrates competency as determined by the board, plus completed a postgraduate training program of a minimum of three years in the graduate's licensing country; and has otherwise practiced as a medical pro
fe
ssional performing the duties of a physician for the last three years outside the United States. An applicant must submit sufficient evidence that the applicant is an international medical school graduate and has an offer for employment as a physician at
a healthcare provider that operates in this state and has a postgraduate training program accredited by the accreditation council for graduate medical education in place.

Effective January 31, 2027, this bill requires the board to issue a provisional foreign training license of two years, which may be extended for an additional year, if there is nothing barring any disqualifications determined by the board to an internati
onally trained physician who has successfully completed the required examinations upon filing sufficient evidence that the internationally trained physician:



Possesses a certificate or diploma from a medical school that meets the board's standards for an approved international medical school or is judged to be acceptable by board, and a copy of a permanent Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates certificate.


Completed a postgraduate training program of a minimum of three years in a country approved by the internationally trained physician's training country or has completed a one-year postgraduate training program in the United States.


Has been in good standing with the medical licensing or regulatory institution of the internationally trained physician's country of training within the last five years and does not have any pending disciplinary actions.


Has proof of United States citizenship or being lawfully present in the United States, or has applied to live or work in the United States.


Has sufficient evidence of good moral character.


Has paid a non-refundable application fee of $300.

This bill requires an applicant to submit sufficient evidence that the applicant is an internationally trained physician and has an offer for employment as a physician at an employer identified below that operates in this state.

Employers

Present law requires an international medical school graduate who is granted a foreign training license to only provide medical services at a healthcare provider that has in place a postgraduate training program accredited by the accreditation council fo
r graduate medical education. However, this provision does not apply to an international medical school graduate who is granted a temporary license of limited duration by the board for those who successfully complete the required examinations and upon fin
di
ng sufficient evidence that the international medical school graduate demonstrates competency as determined by the board and has completed a one-year postgraduate training program in the United States.

This bill, instead, requires an internationally trained physician who is granted a provisional foreign training license to only provide medical services at an employer identified below during the period of the provisional foreign training license unless
the licensee notifies the board of a change of eligible employer. This provision does not apply to an international medical school graduate who is granted temporary license of limited duration by the board for those who successfully complete the required
e
xaminations and upon finding sufficient evidence that the international medical school graduate demonstrates competency as determined by the board and has completed a one-year postgraduate training program in the United States.

This bill authorizes the board to identify the type of employer and clinical facilities authorized to employ and provide a supervising physician to supervise and assess the skills and competency of an internationally trained physician during the internat
ionally trained physician's provisional foreign training license period and establish criteria and guidelines for such type of employers and authorized clinical facilities. The type of employer must include all of the following:



A federally qualified health center with an onsite supervising physician.


A rural health clinic with an onsite supervising physician.


A community health center with an onsite supervising physician.


An employer with a postgraduate training program accredited by the accreditation council for graduate medical education.


A supervising physician employer approved by the board upon consideration of the practice and training opportunities, including clinic and hospital experience.

This bill requires the board to define additional types of employers based on certain factors, including (i) experience in medical education and assessment; the ability to provide a supervising physician to oversee and assess skills; and training resourc
es, including clinic and hospital experience.

UNRESTRICTED LICENSURE

Present law authorizes the board to grant a full and unrestricted license to practice medicine to a foreign training license who is in good standing and has actively practiced medicine in this state for two years after the date of foreign training licens
ure.

Barring any disqualifications determined by the board, this bill, instead, requires the board to grant a full and unrestricted license to practice medicine to an internationally trained physician who meets the qualifications described above, is in good s
tanding, demonstrates competency, has passed Steps 1, 2, and 3 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination, and has actively practiced medicine in this state for two years in a satisfactory manner after being granted a provisional foreign training
li
cense. This bill encourages the board is to collect and share data on the provisional foreign training license pathway to evaluate the pathway's effectiveness.

RULEMAKING

This bill authorizes the board to promulgate rules to effectuate this bill.

ON APRIL 13, 2026, THE HOUSE SUBSTITUTED SENATE BILL 2366 FOR HOUSE BILL 2571, ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1, AND PASSED SENATE BILL 2366, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1
makes the following changes:



Clarifies that an applicant for a provisional training license must be a United States citizen or a qualified alien.


Provides that an applicant's employer must have an onsite supervising physician.


Defines a "clinical facility" as a facility or entity licensed under state law or a Level III office-based surgery facility.


Requires a supervising physician to be board certified in the same specialty as the internationally trained physician.


Authorizes the board of osteopathic examination, in addition to the board of medical examiners, to promulgate rules to effectuate this bill.

Current Bill Text

HOUSE BILL 2571
By Kumar

SENATE BILL 2366
By Hensley
SB2366
012520
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 63,
relative to health care.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-6-207(g), is amended by deleting
the subsection and substituting:
(g)
(1) Barring any disqualifications determined by the board, the board shall
issue a provisional foreign training license of two (2) years, which may be
extended for an additional one (1) year, to an internationally trained physician
who has successfully completed the examination as described in subsection (b)
upon finding sufficient evidence that the internationally trained physician:
(A) Possesses:
(i) A certificate or diploma from a medical school that:
(a) Meets the board's standards for an approved
international medical school; or
(b) Is judged to be acceptable by the board; and
(ii) A copy of a permanent ECFMG certificate;
(B) Completed a postgraduate training program of a minimum of
three (3) years in a country approved by the internationally trained
physician's training country or has completed a one-year postgraduate
training program in the United States;
(C) Has been in good standing with the medical licensing or
regulatory institution of the internationally trained physician's country of

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training within the last five (5) years and does not have any pending
disciplinary actions;
(D)
(i) Has proof of United States citizenship or being lawfully
present in the United States, pursuant to § 4-58-103; or
(ii) Has applied to live or work in the United States;
(E) Has sufficient evidence of good moral character; and
(F) Has paid a non-refundable application fee of three hundred
dollars ($300).
(2) An applicant under subdivision (g)(1) shall submit sufficient evidence
that the applicant is an internationally trained physician and has an offer for
employment as a physician at an employer identified in subdivision (g)(3) that
operates in this state.
(3)
(A) The board is authorized to identify the type of employer and
clinical facilities authorized to employ and provide a supervising physician
to supervise and assess the skills and competency of an internationally
trained physician during the internationally trained physician's provisional
foreign training license period and establish criteria and guidelines for
such type of employers and authorized clinical facilities.
(B) The type of employer must include:
(i) A federally qualified health center, as defined in § 63-6-
204, with an onsite supervising physician;
(ii) A rural health clinic, as defined in § 63-6-204, with an
onsite supervising physician;

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(iii) A community health center, as defined in Pub. L. No.
110-355, § 2(b)(A), with an onsite supervising physician;
(iv) An employer with a postgraduate training program
accredited by the accreditation council for graduate medical
education; and
(v) A supervising physician employer approved by the
board upon consideration of the practice and training
opportunities, including clinic and hospital experience.
(C) The board shall define additional types of employers based
on factors, including:
(i) Experience in medical education and assessment;
(ii) The ability to provide a supervising physician to
oversee and assess skills; and
(iii) Training resources, including clinic and hospital
experience.
(4) An internationally trained physician who is granted a provisional
foreign training license under subdivision (g)(1) shall only provide medical
services at an employer identified in subdivision (g)(3) during the period of the
provisional foreign training license unless the licensee notifies the board of a
change of eligible employer.
(5) Barring any disqualifications determined by the board, the board shall
grant a full and unrestricted license to practice medicine to an internationally
trained physician under subdivision (g)(1) who is in good standing, demonstrates
competency, has passed Steps 1, 2, and 3 of the USMLE, and has actively

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practiced medicine in this state for two (2) years in a satisfactory manner after
being granted a provisional foreign training license.
(6) The board is encouraged to collect and share data on the provisional
foreign training license pathway to evaluate the pathway's effectiveness.
(7) As used in this subsection (g):
(A) "Employer" means an entity, corporation, or organization,
whether for-profit or nonprofit, that furnishes, bills, or is paid for a
healthcare procedure or service delivered in the normal course of
business; and
(B) "Supervising physician" means a board-certified, qualified
physician who holds an active medical license under this chapter 6 or
chapter 9 of this title and practices medicine or osteopathic medicine in
the same specialty as the internationally trained physician under
supervision.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-6-207(h)(2), is amended by
deleting "Subdivision (g)(3)" and substituting "Subdivision (g)(4)".
SECTION 3. The board of medical examiners is authorized to promulgate rules to
effectuate this act. The rules must be promulgated in accordance with the Uniform
Administrative Procedures Act, compiled in Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 5.
SECTION 4. For the purposes of promulgating rules, this act takes effect upon
becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it. For all other purposes, this act takes effect
January 31, 2027, the public welfare requiring it.